Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
110. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will examine the provision of an open step down prison for women in Ireland recognising the positive rehabilitative and reintegrative outcomes which they bring. [16226/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to assure the Deputy that I am very cognisant that female offenders represent a particularly vulnerable group within the prison system.
The Prison Service is acutely aware of the challenges that these vulnerable women face and there is evidence that the impact of imprisonment is considerably greater on women and their wider families and as a result, modern prison facilities for women offenders are developed in a very different model from male prisons.
The Dóchas Centre, which accommodates the majority of female prisoners in Ireland, was purposely built and specifically designed for women. A particular focus of the design of the prison was to ensure that the women accommodated there had access to a regime that mirrored, as much as possible, living in ordinary accommodation and thus supported the women's reintegration to society, which is a key objective.
The issue raised by the Deputy was considered in the context of the Probation Service/Irish Prison Service joint Women Strategy 2014-2016, which sought to improve the outcomes for women offenders. A joint working group between the two agencies recommended that the most practical and cost effective way to address the needs identified was to develop a step-down facility for women. In this regard, the Probation Service and Prison Service worked collaboratively towards the identification of a suitable venue for a women’s step down unit in Dublin, via a procurement process run by the Office of Government Procurement.
The Outlook Programme, which opened on 10 May 2019, now provides this step-down facility. The vision of the Programme is to promote the rehabilitation and re-integration of women leaving prison and those who have accommodation needs requiring support in the community. This is achieved through the provision of a wrap- around service that supports, independent living skills, training and employment opportunities and pro-social behaviour in order to reduce risk of re-offending
The Programme which is run in joint partnership with the Probation Service and managed by Focus Ireland, supports women serving sentences of imprisonment who pose a low risk to society to gradually re-integrate into the community.
Since it’s opening on 10 May 2019, 34 women have accessed the Outlook Programme, this includes 30 women who accessed the Programme directly from the Dochas Centre, as well as 4 community based referrals, made by the Probation Service. The Outlook Programme has capacity for 10 women. While residing at the Outlook Programme, women are required to comply with strict Temporary Release conditions and if they fail to comply with same, they risk being returned to custody.
In addition, as the Deputy will be aware, the Prison Service is currently in the process of a major redevelopment of Limerick Prison which includes the construction of a new prison facility for women prisoners.
The new accommodation block for women offenders in Limerick which will replace the use of the female wing at that prison. The design of the new facility is based on the principle of rehabilitation and normalisation reflecting contemporary design standards. A mix of accommodation units are being provided based around an external courtyard setting. The development will provide accommodation for 50 women prisoners and is scheduled for completion in late 2022, subject to no further delays as a result of the Covid pandemic. When open, this new facility will represent a complete change in the standard of accommodation and rehabilitative supports for women prisoners.
